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Under pressure: ultraviolet emission-line ratios as barometers of active galactic nuclei feedback mechanisms

Feedback from active galactic nuclei (AGN) is widely acknowledged to regulate the growth of massive galaxies, though its driving mechanisms are debated. Prevailing theories suggest that AGN-driven outflows are driven either by radiation pressure acting directly on the dusty interstellar medium (ISM)...

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Autori principali: Fuller, Elise (Autore) , Johnson, Sean D. (Autore) , Stern, Jonathan (Autore) , Chen, Hsiao-Wen (Autore) , Choi, Ena (Autore) , Faucher-Giguère, Claude-André (Autore) , Gaspari, Massimo (Autore) , Goulding, Andy (Autore) , Greene, Jenny (Autore) , Heckman, Timothy M. (Autore) , Li, Jennifer I-Hsiu (Autore) , Liu, Zhuoqi (Autore) , Mishra, Nishant (Autore) , Nyland, Kristina (Autore) , Rowlands, Kate (Autore) , Rudie, Gwen C. (Autore) , Schneider, Evan (Autore) , Wylezalek, Dominika (Autore) , Zakamska, Nadia L. (Autore)
Natura: Article (Journal)
Lingua:inglese
Pubblicazione: 2026 April 1
In: The astrophysical journal
Year: 2026, Volume: 1000, Fascicolo: 2, Pages: 1-15
ISSN:1538-4357
DOI:10.3847/1538-4357/ae473a
Accesso online:Verlag, kostenfrei, Volltext: https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/ae473a
Testo
Note sull'autore:Elise Fuller, Sean D. Johnson, Jonathan Stern, Hsiao-Wen Chen, Ena Choi, Claude-André Faucher-Giguère, Massimo Gaspari, Andy Goulding, Jenny Greene, Timothy M. Heckman, Jennifer I-Hsiu Li, Zhuoqi Liu, Nishant Mishra, Kristina Nyland, Kate Rowlands, Gwen C. Rudie, Evan Schneider, Dominika Wylezalek, and Nadia L. Zakamska
Descrizione
Riassunto:Feedback from active galactic nuclei (AGN) is widely acknowledged to regulate the growth of massive galaxies, though its driving mechanisms are debated. Prevailing theories suggest that AGN-driven outflows are driven either by radiation pressure acting directly on the dusty interstellar medium (ISM) or by hot winds entraining cooler ISM gas, but the relative contribution of each mechanism remains uncertain. By combining optical emission line measurements with highly ionized UV emission lines, it is possible to constrain whether the pressure source applied to ionized clouds is primarily radiation or primarily hydrodynamic, and thus constrain the dominant driver. This study presents the first multiobject analysis of far-UV spectra from galactic-scale AGN-driven outflows in obscured quasars, based on Cosmic Origins Spectrograph observations of five low-redshift targets. By comparing narrow-line region UV emission-line ratios to theoretical models that vary the importance of the two pressure sources, we find that three out of five targets fall within the radiation-pressure-dominated regime. A fourth target exhibits intermediate emission-line ratios that suggest radiation pressure and pressure from a hot wind are both dynamically important. Finally, the lowest-luminosity object in our sample may have a dynamically important hot wind component, but nondetections prevent a clear conclusion in this case. These results suggest radiation pressure dominates circumnuclear narrow-line region cloud dynamics, but pressure from a hot wind also plays a role in some cases. This is consistent with AGN feedback scenarios mediated by radiation pressure or a short-lived hot wind phase that dissipates after initially accelerating outflows.
Descrizione del documento:Veröffentlicht: 25. März 2026
Gesehen am 26.05.2026
Descrizione fisica:Online Resource
ISSN:1538-4357
DOI:10.3847/1538-4357/ae473a

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